The present invention relates to wireless telecommunication networks. More particularly, and not by way of limitation, the present invention is directed to a system, method, and node for dynamically configuring interfaces between a mobile phone and multifunctional devices/radios.
The following abbreviations are utilized in the background and description herein:
AbbreviationExplanationBTBluetoothBToUWBBluetooth over UWBCDCCommunication Device ClassCFCompact FlashWUSBWireless USBDASICDigital application-specific integrated circuitDCDDevice Controller DriverDMADirect Memory AccessDMEDevice ManagementDRDDual-Role DeviceDVB-HDigital Video Broadcasting-HandheldDWADevice Wire AdapterEPEndpointFIFOFirst-In-First-OutFMFM RadioGPSGlobal Positioning SystemHCDHost Controller DriverHIDHuman Interface DeviceHSICHigh Speed InterChipHWHardwareHWAHost Wire AdapterI2CInter-Integrated CircuitINTInterruptLDLogical DriverLocal link (orA physical link connecting DASIC and external chiptransport link)MACMedia Access ControlMEMobile EquipmentMSCMass Storage ClassNFCNear Field CommunicationOBEXObject Exchange ProtocolPALProtocol Adaptation LayerPCPersonal ComputerPCIPeripheral component interconnectPHYPhysical (layer)PictBridgeStandard created for direct printing from digital camerasto printersPIDProduct IdentificationQoSQuality of ServiceRCIRadio Control InterfaceRFIDRadio Frequency IdentificationSDIOSecure Digital Input/OutputSIMSubscriber Identity ModuleSPISerial Peripheral InterfaceSWSoftwareUARTUniversal Asynchronous Receiver/TransmitterULPIUTMI+ Low Pincount InterfaceUSBUniversal Serial BusUTMIUSB 2.0 Universal Transceiver Macrocell InterfaceUTMI+USB 2.0 Universal Transceiver Macrocell Interface(plus version)UWBUltra WidebandVIDVendor IdentificationWiMediaIndustry special interest group promoting UWBdevice standardizationWLANWireless Local Area NetworkWLPWiMedia Logical Link Control ProtocolWMCWireless Mobile CommunicationsWUSBWireless USB
FIG. 1 is a simplified block diagram illustrating a conventional mobile phone Digital Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (DASIC) 23 and a number of additional chips interfacing with the DASIC. Many mobile phones include a DASIC, which implements features of applicable radio standards. Today, mobile phones and other mobile/portable devices provide a wide range of functionality, such as RFID, FM, WLAN, UWB, BT, DVB-H, GPS, NFC, Secure Key/License Storage, Ciphering, Audio, 3D graphics, and the like. For several reasons, it is not possible to integrate the above functions in the main mobile phone DASIC. Therefore, in addition to the DASIC, the mobile phone must have several additional integrated circuits (chips) providing all the needed functionality. Currently such additional chips use several different HW interfaces to the DASIC, such as SPI, UART, I2C, SDIO, and the like.
Because of the different nature of these technologies, different vendors provide these chips. This causes several problems, including:                The mobile device vendor has to integrate chips from different providers.        Different HW interfaces are used to connect external chips.        Most of the HW interfaces have large pin counts and are not suitable for mobile devices, thus increasing the size needed to integrate the chip. An increased number of layers may also be required for interconnecting such a chip.        Different drivers are needed to handle every HW interface.        Different clocks are needed for different HW interfaces.        Different power levels may be needed for different HW interfaces.        Different test tools and analyzers are needed to debug every HW interface during the development process.        The size of the mobile device is increased with the number of functions included.        The end-user product has increased power consumption.        The time needed to integrate all parts into a complete solution is increased.        A large number of external chips makes the mobile device more expensive.        
In an attempt to overcome such problems, some chip vendors have tried to make a combined chip, containing two different functions (for example BT and WLAN). However, each function on the combined chip still uses a different HW interface, thus leaving most of the problems unsolved.